Vinay Bharat-Ram has for long had a ringside seat in matters concerning Indian industry. Grandson of the legendary Lala Shri Ram, he grew up in one of Delhi’s oldest business families. Today, he heads the DCM Group.
In From the Brink of Bankruptcy, Bharat-Ram recalls the charismatic Shri Ram, the beneficial influence of his parents, his privileged upbringing, watching Jawaharlal Nehru unfurl the tricolour at India Gate on 15 August 1947, the upheaval of Partition, the charm (now gone) of the Delhi of his childhood, his college days in the US, the loss of a dear school friend and finding his feet in the world of business.
He recollects the umpteen challenges DCM faced over the years: labour unrest, the insufferable Emergency years, Swraj Paul’s hostile takeover bid, a drop in the company’s share prices and huge debts. Having overcome most obstacles, a resurgent DCM group is now active in fields like software, engineering, textiles and real estate.
Bharat-Ram writes about other facets of his life, like his love of classical music and abiding interest in economics. Distinguished personalities–among them, the economist Amartya Sen, musicians such as Baba Allauddin Khan, Ali Akbar Khan, Ravi Shankar and George Harrison, and politicians such as Rajiv Gandhi, Narasimha Rao and Manmohan Singh–make cameo appearances in the book.
In telling the story of his remarkable life, Bharat-Ram also manages to give fascinating insights into how big businesses survive, how family conflicts are resolved, and how luck plays a part in the achievement of corporate objectives.
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